Mrs. Meckes World Civilization February 24, 2014

The French first became interested in Vietnam to convert the people to Catholicism, the religion of France. The French called the countries of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia Indochina and this area was a colony of France from the late 1800’s to 1954.

It took over 350 years for the French to gradually take control of Indochina. Before the French came to Indochina, Cambodia and Laos had been independent countries while Vietnam only became independent after it overthrew Chinese rule.

Napoleon ordered the French military to invade southern Vietnam when the Church leadership and capitalists wanted a bigger share of the overseas market. The French controlled all the important government positions and tried to force their culture on the people there also.

Rice, coffee, tea, and rubber were raw materials that French merchants wanted from this area, and the French government wanted the strategic presence in Southeast Asia.

Positive effects of French Indochina and imperialism: Economic progress benefitted the French A small wealthy class of Vietnamese also benefitted economically. Irrigation works primarily in the Mekong delta helped increase land for growing rice Improvements in medical care, transportation, communications, and education.

Negative effects of French Indochina and imperialism: Most native people didn’t benefit economically from French imperialism Rice consumption decreased and was not substituted Exploitation of the peasantry Absence of civil liberties for the native peoples Lack of Vietnamese participation in government

1. What countries are French Indochina? 2. What reasons did the French want to control Indochina? 3. What were the positive effects of French imperialism in Indochina? 4. What were the negative effects of French imperialism in Indochina? 5. When did the French leave Indochina? colonial-rule Sources: Modern World History